Invincible
by Destiny Lockheart
Summary: AU: The fate of two kingdoms rests in the hands of one boy, beloved by one king and despised by the other. Please R
1. Default Chapter

Invincible

Disclaimer, Author's Notes, and Warnings: First of all, I would like to say that I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or anything to do with Yu-Gi-Oh. Never have, never will. Warning wise I would like to say that this fic will contain eventual Yaoi. But most people like that stuff anyway. Furthermore, this is an AU, set in Medieval times. That's about all I'm going to say plot wise. The rest you're just going to have to read and find out. I would also like to add that most pairings have not been decided yet. I'm not sure of the spelling of Jounouchi's sister's name but I figure as long as I'm consistently wrong there's not much of a problem. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The wind blew lightly, swirling up small clouds of dust around her bare feet as she walked slowly down the winding road. Her robes were plain and brown and she gave the appearance of having nothing of real value on her. Workers in the fields stopped what they were doing and watched her go by. She was obviously another Summoner seeking refuge in their country. Her slightly tanned skin gave her away as coming from a southern country and the way she carried herself with a certain dignity revealed the fact that she was indeed a Summoner. Her hair was covered by a plain wool cloak and her sea-green eyes shifted restlessly over the workers. They hastily returned to their tasks, averting their eyes. No one would be caught gawking at a Summoner, whether or not she was in power. 

One girl couldn't help but pity the foreigner who was quite obviously all alone and without a place to stay. She had chestnut hair that was currently pulled back to stay out of the way of her work and green eyes. She knew what it was like to be alone. When she was little her older brother and the only family she had ever known had been taken away from her and placed into the service of the king. She didn't know whether or not he was still alive. She hoped so; she wanted to see him again. 

She approached the woman in the center of the road, careful not to startle her. If the woman was truly as powerful of a Summoner as she appeared to be she didn't want to be facing down any dragons. "Excuse me, my lady," the girl said, curtseying before the woman. No telling what kind of status the woman had held previously. "My name is Shisuka and I was wondering if perhaps I could offer you some assistance." 

The woman passed a critical eye over her and Shisuka felt that somehow she was being judged. Apparently, she passed for the woman smiled at her. "I am Isis, Summoner First-Class. I was actually looking for some company on my way to the palace. You'll do just fine."

Shisuka felt like she was going to faint. A First-Class Summoner was asking her to come to the palace with her. If she could possibly get inside, she might have the chance of seeing her brother. Not going was out of the question. First of all, it would be rude to the Summoner and secondly, it was too good of a chance to pass up. It wasn't like she would be leaving anything behind her. A crude change of clothes was about all she would be leaving behind if they left right now. Not much to miss and what was ahead of her could be far better. "I would be honored to come with you." They started walking down the road, Shisuka lagging a step or two behind. Suddenly, her curiosity got the better of her. "May I ask why you're going to the palace?"

"Business," the woman responded coolly without a glance backward.

"Oh, I've heard that King Kaiba is also on his way for business," she said, trying to make light conversation as she struggled to keep up with the woman. 

"I know." Her eyes changed color briefly, from a beautiful sea-green to the color of the night sky. Shisuka gulped, wondering what exactly what she had gotten herself into. Even she could tell that this woman was no ordinary Summoner. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun shone through a series of high windows, bathing the room in warm sunlight. The King sat in his throne, surveying those in the room before him, the familiar weight of his puzzle resting around his neck. The presence inside of it was alert, but thankfully not active. His advisors were currently in the middle of a heated discussion. On one side were his two Summoners, Mai and Rianna. Mai had long golden hair and sparkling violet eyes. Her usual choice of robes were a light purple with numerous silver accessories. Rianna, on the other hand, had dark eyes and long jet-black hair. Her usual choice of robes were black with the only accessory being a black cord belted the robe at her waist. Light and dark. Perfect antithesis of each other. It was amazing that they would take the same side on any issue. 

On the other side of the argument was General Honda and the Lord Seneschal, Otogi. Honda was an intimidating sight, even though it was wasted on the two woman. Her had made sure his Summoners were as skilled with weapons as they were with their magic and their monsters. Less chance they would die that way. The General's eyes intensely studied the woman's movements, his hand resting lightly on the hilt of his sword which rarely left his side. Otogi was a master strategist but when it came to actual fighting, he wasn't very threatening. However, his strategies newer failed which was why the King kept him employed in the army department. 

While the four of them were busy bickering amongst themselves, Yuugi stole a glance down at his feet. His personal slave sat obediently at his feet, a thick chain wrapped around his neck that was attached to the leg of Yuugi's throne. The boy stiffened under the King's gaze, then honey-colored eyes lifted to meet his. "What do you think, Jounouchi?"

Jounouchi fingered the heavy metal collar around his neck. "I'm thinking this is a little tight," he murmured. Yuugi sighed; it seemed like he had to get that stupid thing readjusted once a week. Someone else had to be tampering with it; one of those slave fanatics, most likely. But Jounouchi was his personal slave and no one else was supposed to be going anywhere's near him without the King's permission. Not even the slave masters which couldn't seem to stay away from him. 

Yuugi shook his head and gave the chain a slight tug to bring him back to attention. Jounouchi grunted and turned his eyes respectively to his King. "I meant about their discussion," he said, gesturing to the advisors. Riana pounded on the table. 

Jounouchi turned to face them with a thoughtful expression on his face. "I agree with Honda and Otogi on how many lives this will save, but like the Summoners, I feel I have to question his motives in creating this peace agreement."

Yuugi couldn't help but notice the way Jounouchi continually fidgeted with his collar as he talked. That was a bit disturbing. Well, as soon as this meeting was over and he had retired to his chambers, the collar could come off Jounouchi for a while. /I agree/ the spirit residing in the puzzle said. /I don't trust Kaiba. He must have other motives./ Yuugi decided he had enough of listening to their bickering. It wasn't getting them anywhere. "Enough!" he ordered, standing up. "This isn't getting us anywhere. Kaiba is coming to make a peace agreement and there's nothing you can do to change that."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Damn this god forsaken country! Why the hell did he have to take this stupid trip in the first place? He knew why. He couldn't afford a war at this time, no matter how much his wounded pride called for it. The gray warsteed he was riding tossed her head, nickering at people who wandered too close. Dirty pheasants, acting like filthy beggars. Well, if Hellsbane took their heads off it wasn't his fault. They shouldn't have gotten too close to the damn horse. 

He only had three companions with him, two of his best warriors ad the fastest scout in the country. Speaking of which, where was he? He should have been back by now. He didn't have to wait long to discover the answer to his question. The scout came alongside Hellsbane, the smaller bay mount fidgeting beside the much larger warsteed. The scout clumsily saluted before giving a hasty report. "Sir, I don't recommend passing through the next town. They have heard you are coming and are out there waiting for your blood." 

"Damn!" The closer they got to the capital the more problems that arised. "Turn your horses around. We're taking the long way," he ordered the two guards. Taking the long way seemed to be happening a lot recently. Somebody was obviously alerting people to their coming presence. He had wanted this. That had been the whole purpose of only four of them going. But who could be giving them away? He quickly glanced at his scout. No, it couldn't be him. The poor kid was scared out of his mind and besides, why would he put his own life in danger? So who was it? Could someone be spying on them?

His eyes passed over his escorts' mounts. Quality beasts, but not a single one of them could even begin to compare with Hellsbane. If he kept moving and avoided any major roads he could get to the capital without anyone noticing his passing. Tonight, when the rest of them stopped for the night, he was going to continue on. No sense in taking any chances. After all, he knew how despised he was in this country. Hellsbane snorted as if agreeing with him. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mai watched Rianna carefully as they traveled down the corridors back to their chambers. The younger girl was dangerous; of course, it was nothing she couldn't handle. Still, better to be prepared for the unexpected them to be taken completely by surprise. They had survived through training together, despite the difference in their ages, and it was surprising that they couldn't agree on more together. They had helped each other during the training years, making sure the other stayed alive long enough to pass their tests. Mai shook her head sadly. After all these years they had finally found something to agree on and no one else could see their point. 

"Grrr.... Those men make me so angry!" she said, storming down the hall. "I can't believe they can't see that Kaiba wants something and it's not peace!"

Mai sighed as she opened the door to their chambers. Their personal slave stood up as they entered the room. "Welcome, my ladies. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No, Anzu. You can go back to sleep." _"Lazy bitch." _Mai watched as Rianna flopped down on her bed before she sat elegantly down on hers. "I know. But I think instead of trying to make those pig-headed idiots see the light we should focus our energies on finding out what it is he wants."

Rianna looked at her before rolling over to stare at the ceiling. "Good idea." She let out a heavy sigh. "The only thing he cares about is his damn younger brother. Nothing will ever change Seto Kaiba." Mai was inclined to agree with her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shisuka panted as she hurried to catch up with the Summoner. She thought she had been in shape from working in the fields all day. She could not have been more wrong. They had been traveling all day and she was getting extremely tired. She hoped they would be stopping soon for the night though she highly doubted that would be happening. "Shisuka, why did you agree to come with me?" the woman asked, keeping her eyes on the road in front of them. The woman was so mysterious at times; she couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking at times. She had always been taught to be respectful of the Summoners, though she had never met one before now and she thought perhaps answering all their questions counted as being respectful. 

Still, she hesitated before answering her even though she knew not answering her would probably end up with her getting eaten. There was a full moon shining down from the heavens, just like the night they had made the promise to each other. At least the woman didn't force her into answering; perhaps she could be trusted after all. "When we were very little my older brother and I made a promise to each other. We decided that if either one of us was ever taken into the service of the King, we would return as soon as our term was over. That is, if we actually lived that long. But Jounouchi is strong; I know he would have lived through it. His term ended three years ago and he still hasn't returned."

Isis noticed the tears forming in the girl's eyes as she spoke. Poor girl; she knew what it was like to lose a brother to only the gods knew what. Her hand rose to touch the golden necklace. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on the energies residing inside the necklace. There was a bright flash of light before a blurry image of a young boy sleeping at the foot of the King's bed. She turned her gaze upon the young girl walking next to her, watching her wipe a few tears from her eyes. "Perhaps he found something better." Harsh, but true.

Shisuka inhaled quickly, staring at Isis in silent protest. Well, she was going to find out the truth eventually anyway. At least this way she was prepared for what was to come. "What could possibly be more important?"

Isis recognized the look in the girl's eyes; that begging look which pleaded of her to give them all the answers. Unfortunately, she didn't have all the answers though she did have more than most Summoners. However, the commoner always looked to the Summoners to solve all of life's little problems. It didn't work that way. Summoners had the same problems they did plus extra ones that came from controlling the monsters and the magic. Still, she would have to say something to the girl or else she might end up with a problem that would result in slowing them down. "There may be some things." At least the girl didn't say anything more about the topic. Perhaps she was left to ponder over the possibilities. It was time for a change of subject, mainly to one that would be more beneficial to her though she wasn't sure if the girl would be able to answer her. "Shisuka, how long until we reach the capital?"

The girl appeared thoughtful for a moment, calculating the answer in her head. "Three to four days walking." Isis groaned. That was too long. "If we had quality horses we could be there by tomorrow night." Now that was more like it. But where were they going to find horses at this time?

Once again she tapped into the power of her necklace. The damn thing was being useful for a change and was actually showing her things that she needed to see. Things she could actually use. Two warsteeds approaching a hill, somewhere to their right. Both were rider less. Well, nobody would be missing those two anytime soon. "This way," she told Shisuka, veering off the roadway. The girl followed her with a puzzled look on her face. However, she did obey without question. That said a lot to Isis about the girl's upbringing, at least the part of her life concerning Summoners. 

Right now, finding those horses was far more important than figuring out how the country treated its Summoners. Those horses were key to her getting to the capital city before Kaiba, especially since he had decided to change his course of action. She figured it would only take a few more minutes for them to find the horses. Surprisingly, it was Shisuka who spotted them first. "Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to her right. Sure enough, bathed in the moonlight were the two horses she had seen in her visions. One was a brown stallion with dark blue eyes. The other one was black and slightly smaller, most likely a mare. Shisuka approached them slowly, chucking softly with her hand outstretched. The stallion reared and went running the other way, snorting at the two humans. Shisuka reached the mare and began to rub her gently on the nose. 

Since Shisuka had the mare pretty much under control, that left Isis to deal with the stallion. He stared her down, ready to either fight or run. From his build, he was far more likely to fight her than to run away. If he wanted a stare-down contest, she would give it to him. His sweaty flanks rose and fell with his labored breathing. They had obviously been abandoned quite recently; the marks of the fight were still evident on the stallion's skin. His icy blue eyes stared into hers and somewhere inside herself she found the courage to stare back at him bravely. After a few moments that felt like an eternity, the stallion lowered his head and nickered softly at her. She allowed herself a small smile. She had won his approval and now all she had to do was make him hers. The only way to accomplish that would be through time. She approached him and began stroking his nose, glancing at the name plate around his neck.

"Her name is Scythe," Shisuka called, smiling over at her. "Does that devil of a King have a name?"

She smiled, running a finger down a scar on the stallion's nose. Devil of a King. How appropriate. "Seto," she said softly, scratching the stallion behind the ear. She swung herself lightly on his back. He fidgeted slightly but didn't try to toss her. That was a good sign. 

Shisuka was looking at her with a horrified expression on her face. "What are you doing? We can't just take them!" she protested. "They obviously belong to somebody."

Isis sighed; how was she going to explain this one to her? Warsteeds were unusual creatures; even those who had created them did not fully understand them. "Not anymore. A warsteed won't leave its master until he or she is dead. Whenever that happens they're free until they form a new bond. They belong to us now."

The girl looked more scared than anything now. She fitfully looked from Isis to the horse beside her. "I couldn't. Warsteeds are for soldiers and Summoners, not for commoners like me."

Isis let out another exasperated sigh. The girl had a lot to learn and unfortunately, Isis did not have the time to teach her. Perhaps someday, someone would. "Do you think Scythe cares about your status?"

Shisuka looked at the mare beside her. Those warm brown eyes certainly seemed accepting and welcoming enough. They were welcoming her to a whole new world. "No." She hesitantly mounted the beautiful black warsteed, feeling uncomfortable so high off the ground. "But I've never ridden before," she admitted, clumsily grabbing at the reins.

The Summoner sent her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. She'll teach you how." Funny how a statement like that would have once made her laugh for being so absurd. A horse teaching her how to ride. But as she looked into Scythe's intelligent eyes she knew that it was no joke.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Yuugi let out a soft sigh as he sat down on the edge of his bed, running his fingers through spiky tri-colored hair. He set the puzzle on the floor though it didn't weaken his bond with the spirit inside. He felt like they were always together, no matter how far away the puzzle was. /How is he doing?/

Yuugi giggled, turning to look at the "he" in question. Jounouchi stood at the foot of the bed, watching his King with a passive expression on his face. Sometimes it was really hard to figure out what he was thinking. A few years in the slave barracks had taught him to show no emotion. Unless he was willing to receive a beating in response. \You worry about him too much\ Yuugi scolded the spirit inside the puzzle. "I think it's time to sleep. What do you think, Jounouchi?"

"Whatever you say, your majesty," he stated in his "neutral" voice.

Yuugi heard the spirit inside the puzzle sigh. He felt inclined to agree at the moment. Yuugi laid down on his bed, watching the slave curl up at the foot of his bed. "Goodnight, Jounouchi," he whispered as the blonde boys eyes slowly closed. It was a long time before the young king could join him in slumber. /Make sure you're taking good care of him/ the spirit inside the puzzle chided in a sleepy voice.

\What kind of insensitive jerk do you take me for?\ he responded. Honestly, he was doing the best he could do for Jounouchi under the circumstances and the ever watchful eyes of the court and spies. \I know how much he means to us.\

~Please review if you want me to continue. 


	2. Chapter 2

Invincible  ~ Chapter 2

Hellsbane snorted restlessly, her breath forming a mist in the cold night air as Kaiba placed the leather saddle back on her. The warsteed was used to midnight excursions, but if she was not going to be quiet, she would wake everyone else up and they would insist on coming with him. That situation would not do at all. He knew he had to go on alone. It was safer for them if he left the escort and proceeded to the capital on his own. Besides, their constant presence was starting to get on his nerves. Even back at his own court he had been able to get away from it all every once in a while. Kaiba rubbed Hellsbane's nose softly, hoping the horse would get the message and stay calm. She was nervous about something and he was not about to stay around to find out why. Warsteeds did not become nervous over simple matters and to see one of Hellsbane's breeding in a fidgety mood was a very rare sight.

He decided it would be easier if he walked her for a bit, under the impression she would make less noise that way. He snapped the lead rope onto her bridle, and she nuzzled his shoulder, nearly knocking him over. He whispered a few reassuring words to her, leading her away from the sleeping forms of his guards and their mounts. Extraordinary guards they were; it took amazing skill to sleep through practically anything. He was leaving and none of them would notice until the morning. For all they knew, he and Hellsbane could have been kidnapped or murdered in the middle of the night. 

Hellsbane pushed on his shoulder, whickering softly, urging him to get away from the place as quickly as possible. He was inclined to agree with her. Nothing stirred in the night air around them. There was no sound of night creatures, not even the familiar hooting of an owl. He vowed to make this the last out of country trip he took and his ambassadors could take care of this sort of thing from this point on. He scratched the underside of Hellsbane's chin, the warsteed pressed close behind him.

He heard a shuffling sound behind him, the first noise he had heard since he and his guards had set up camp. He thought for a moment perhaps his guards had finally decided to do their jobs properly for a change. However, whoever was behind him was trying not to make a lot of noise. He urged Hellsbane to come alongside him, swinging lightly into the saddle. He felt her tense beneath him, waiting for him to give the command. He felt a rush of air behind him, followed by a sense of the world being drained. He felt like he was falling into an endless black pit. He tightly grabbed the reins, turning the horse as he struggled to regain his breath. Between the tress, he caught sight of purple scales, glimmering in the dying flames. Well, at least the damn fools had finally learned the meaning of dying for King and country.

He, on the other hand, wasn't about to stay and see the reaction of the dragon's caller when he discovered the King was not among the dead. He spun Hellsbane around, digging his heels into her side. The beast needed no second bidding; she took off instantly, tearing into the thick forest. Kaiba bent low over her neck, wrapping his arms tightly around her. He would have to trust her in this situation. There was no telling how many creatures were out there and with no knowledge of the country, all he could do was run. The horse was trained to avoid dangerous situations; he would have to place all his faith in her judgment. "Mokuba, pray you were right about this."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mai suddenly sat upright in bed, respiration heavy, a few beads of sweat on her forehead. She wasn't sure what had awakened her so abruptly but she knew better than to let it pass without a second thought. Anzu was asleep in the corner, so it obviously wasn't the slave that woke her. A glance at Rianna's bed showed the other Summoner not only was not asleep but she was missing from the room. Mai cursed as she pushed her blanket off her legs. The other girl was dangerous. Mai did not trust her and knowing the girl was wandering the palace at unholy hours did nothing to improve her reputation. 

Mai made her way out of their room, grabbing a candle on the way. With a few simple words, she ignited the wick and set off to find the younger woman. Of course, she could be anywhere by now. Since Mai's first duty was to her King, she went in that direction first, wanting to make sure he was safe. She cast a quick invisibility spell to get passed the guards, making her way carefully down the hall, pausing outside the king's bedroom door. She had come this far, she might as well go all the way, despite what she feared to find on the other side. She pushed the heavy door open slowly, steadying herself as she peered inside. However, all her fears seemed to have been misplaced. The King was still sound asleep, his steady breath making his chest rise and fall. At the foot of the bed was the King's personal slave, also sleeping quite soundly. Even asleep and drooling he managed to be attractive. She let her eyes linger on the delicate features of his face before she turned to leave. She still had to find Rianna and make sure the girl was not wreaking havoc elsewhere.

"Where are you?" she muttered underneath her breath. There was one spot Rianna frequented in her spare time, yet Mai wasn't so sure she would be there at this time of night. Perhaps the girl was crazy enough to be there and, besides, it was her only lead. 

She headed up the stairs, praying to the gods that the girl was up there. Mai wanted to get back to her comfortable bed, but she couldn't do that until she discovered what had awakened her. Somehow, she knew Rianna held the answers. Mai stepped out into the cold night air, shivering and cursing herself for not being more prepared. She was rewarded for her foolishness with the sight of Rianna, standing on the castle wall and wearing her black cloak with the hood up. She frowned, realizing the girl had been wiser in preparing herself. Her footsteps fell lightly as the crossed the wall to where the girl was standing. "What's happening?" she asked.

Rianna glanced at her out of the corner of her eyes, a small smirk playing across her lips. "You mean to tell me you don't know?" she asked coyly, pushing her hood back. 

Mai frowned, wrapping her arms around herself. "If I knew I wouldn't have wasted my time asking you," she pointed out. Damn, she hated giving the girl authority over anything but she needed to know the situation on their hands. 

Rianna shrugged, turning her attention back to the wilderness bordering this side of the capital. "Someone summoned a Koumari Dragon," she said, matter-of-factly. "Someone who never passed the trials."

Mai elegantly arched an eyebrow, wondering who would be so bold as to try to summon something underneath their noses. Especially a demon along the lines of a dragon. Of course, she hadn't even known that it had happened except for a gut feeling she couldn't explain. "Where?"

Rianna lifted her hand, gracefully pointing to the south. Mai followed with her eyes, barely noticing a plume of smoke rising from the trees. "There. In the area where King Kaiba should be by tonight." Mai was not in the least bit surprised; many people hated him with a fierce passion. "With any luck they managed to get rid of him for us." Somehow Mai did not get the impression they were going to be that lucky.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jounouchi moaned lightly in his sleep, throwing his arm over his eyes. Yuugi, who was used to the boy's nightmares, had ignored the slave's whimpers for the first few minutes, passing it off as nothing of importance. However, he was not going to let the boy suffer more than those few minutes, despite the spirit's insistence he should be left to finish the dream. Yuugi crawled down his bed, reaching out to shake Jounouchi on the arm. "Jounouchi, wake up," he insisted, letting his hand rest lightly on the slave's upper arm. Jounouchi moaned again, this time sounding as if he were in pain. Worried, Yuugi shook him again, pointedly ignoring the spirit's protests. "Jounouchi, please wake up," he pleaded, bringing himself closer to the slave's sleeping form. Jounouchi let out one last painful groan before slowly opening his eyes. "Jounouchi," Yuugi whispered, wrapping his arm around the boy's neck and pulling himself closer. 

Jounouchi rested his head on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as his breathing gradually slowed. This hadn't been the first time he had woken up in the middle of the night, breathing heavily, wondering what was happening. His mind seemed foggy and he couldn't even remember where he was or who was with him. "What happened?" he croaked out.

"You had another nightmare," Yuugi told him, running his fingers through the blonde strands. Jounouchi sighed softly, relaxing into the gentle caress as his mind slowly cleared. Yuugi gently smiled, chuckling as his own muscles relaxed. "Don't worry, Jounouchi. You're safe now."

/He wasn't the only one who was affected/ the spirit told him. Yuugi sat up, his hand still resting in Jounouchi's hair. /Mai was in here shortly after you woke up. Fortunately, I sensed her coming so all she saw was the two of you sleeping. We should ask Rianna if she knows anything about it tomorrow/ Yuugi nodded, watching Jounouchi and only partially paying attention to the spirit's advice. /Ask him what he saw/

Yuugi bristled at the idea. \No. I'm not going to do that to him\ He didn't want to make the slave remember anymore than he absolutely had to. He could feel the power rising from within the puzzle as Jounouchi looked up at him with a puzzled expression. \If you really must know you can ask him yourself\

That was the problem with talking mind to mind. There was no chance to think about what you were going to say. /Don't mind if I do/

Jounouchi looked up at the king in fear, having been around him long enough to be able to chance the sense in power. He didn't know what caused the chance but something was definitely different. Now was one of those times. The king let his fingers run through Jounouchi's hair before smirking down on him. He could tell it was not Yuugi talking to him by the difference in the voice. Whenever the power change took place, Yuugi's voice became deeper and more confident, sending shivers down the boy's spine. "Ah, Jounouchi, why don't you tell me about the dream?" he asked coyly, placing his fingers underneath the boy's chin.

Jounouchi wanted to squirm away from that intense gaze; however, years of living in the slave barracks taught him how to stay perfectly still in even the worst of circumstances. "I don't remember," he said calmly, meeting those violet eyes with no fear.

The King frowned down at him, removing his hand and letting it fall to his side. "I don't believe you," he said coldly, taking his other hand and pushing down on Jounouchi's shoulder. "I think you better tell me the truth." To prove his point, he pushed down harder on Jounouchi's shoulder until the slave gritted his teeth. \You know, for worrying about him so much you sure like to be rough with him. You're going to hurt him\

/Nonsense, I know my own strength. He just needs a bit of tough love so he learns to listen/ He sent another disdainful look down at the boy pinned beneath his arm. /However, he doesn't seem to be willing to talk tonight. I'll get him to open up some other time/ The spirit retreated back into the puzzle, leaving Yuugi once again in charge of his body. 

His arm relaxed, allowing Jounouchi to breath a little bit easier, and he ruffled the boy's hair. "Well, not that its over, I'm sure both of us can get back to sleep," he said sweetly, smiling down at his slave. The poor boy must think his King suffered mood swings, but it wasn't like he could tell the boy the truth. The truth was restricted to those who needed to now and Jounouchi was not one if those people, at least not until they were certain. Jounouchi rolled over to his side, watching as Yuugi made his way back onto bed. Yuugi smiled as he pulled the blanket over his legs. "Goodnight, Jounouchi."

"Goodnight, your majesty," he responded, burying his face in his arm, hiding his small smile. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shizuka found the walking pace of the day much more enjoyable than the hectic pace they had set the night before. She found riding was not as difficult as she had thought it would be, and she had only fallen off a few times. Both the Summoner and Scythe were extremely patient with her, a patience she was becoming more and more grateful for with each passing moment. She studied the Summoner before her, comparing the young woman to the Summoners she had heard about in stories. Granted, this woman had her moments where she would frighten Shizuka, but for the most part the commoner found her to be pleasant company. She was kind to her, not in the least bit condescending, and she was willing to share what she knew with Shizuka. At least the things she thought the girl could understand. Isis glanced over her shoulder, smiling reassuringly at her. Shizuka still wanted to know what her brother had found that could possibly be more important than her but the Summoner had refused to comment further on the subject. Shizuka knew that pushing the woman would not be a wise idea at all, unless she wanted to become meal for some demon. 

Isis slowed Seto down, bringing the stallion alongside Scythe. "When you said it would take us until tonight to get to the capital with horses, were you talking about normal horses?" Shizuka nodded, wondering whether or not she had perhaps said something wrong. "Ah. By my calculations, we should be getting there a little past midday. Warsteeds are much faster than normal horses," the Summoner continued as way of explanation with a sideways glance.

They rode along in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the pounding of the horses' hooves on the dirt. As another group of travelers passed them on the road, Shizuka couldn't help but notice how every single last one of them averted their eyes. Isis did not seem to notice; however, Shizuka was not used to such revered treatment.

Isis cleared her throat, turning to look at Shizuka. "Tell me about your brother. Does he have any qualities that would make him desirable to the king?"  Isis wasn't going to tell the girl exactly why her brother hadn't returned, yet she hoped if she dropped enough clues, she would figure it out before she saw her brother again. Isis knew the girl was going to see him again. She also knew it meant heartache for one of them. The only thing the Summoner could do was try to make the girl understand before it actually happened. 

Shizuka turned the question over in her mind, trying to comprehend why the woman would ask her that. "He is fiercely loyal," she told the Summoner who nodded in understanding. "And he is a good worker," she added. She burst out loudly, "But the King is only allowed to keep them there for so many years then they're free to go!"

"Really?" Isis asked, arching an eyebrow. The girl had to see the answer for herself. If Isis gave it to her, she might start thinking Isis would give her all the answers.

"Yes," Shizuka answered in a much quieter, subdued tone. "Unless," she began, slowly swallowing, "unless they want to stay." Isis smiled in self-satisfaction, proud of the girl who had come so far in such a short time. "But he wouldn't do that to me," she protested, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Isis sighed, pushing Seto ahead of Scythe once more. Shizuka bit her bottom lip, afraid she had somehow angered the older woman. However, she was more afraid that she had lost the woman as a companion than she was of being eaten by some demon. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Mai made her way gracefully down the hall, Rianna a few steps behind her. They were going to be late to the meeting but at least they would make an impressive entrance. She could only hope the King would not be angered by their late arrival. She and Rianna had gotten into an argument and she was beginning to realize he was not going to take that statement for excuse for much longer. Out of the corner of her eye, Mai noticed two people approaching them, a young girl in dirty clothes with chestnut hair and a young woman who had long black hear wearing a traveling cloak. "Pheasants," she muttered under her breath, barely giving them a second thought. 

Rianna noticed them as well, placing a restraining hand on Mai's arm. "Summoner," she corrected, giving Mai the look she hated most; the look that screamed "I can't believe you didn't know that." She wasn't like Rianna who was constantly checking to see what was going on power-wise. Most of the time it was a complete waste. "The foreign one," she added in a whisper.

Well, now they had a proper excuse for being late. Summoners, especially fully trained ones, must always take the time to greet each other. "Ra's blessings upon you," Mai called as the strangers approached.

The girl appeared nervous and unsure of what to do; however, the woman remained calm and bowed. "Ra's blessings to you," she said, straightening herself up. "And to you as well," she continued, inkling her head towards Rianna. 

"My lady," Rianna responded, curtseying to the new woman. 

Isis smiled at her before turning her attention back to Mai. "As Summoners," Mai continued, "we all are equal, whether we be noble," she flipped her hair over her shoulder, "commoner, or thief," she finished with a pointed look in Rianna's direction. "How may I help you?"

"I'm Isis Ishtar, Summoner first-class, and this is Shizuka," she introduced them, indicating the girl with a flourish of her hand. "I'm here to see the King."

"You're in luck," Mai said, grinning slightly. Their fortune was just too good. "We have a meeting with him right now. You are more than welcome to join us if you will follow me."

Isis nodded, placing her hand on Shizuka's back as they followed the Summoners through the palace corridors. She made a mental map of he place, should she need to make this journey again. The women led them into a large room where two men were waiting at the table. She supposed they were intimidating enough and she was sure they frightened Shizuka; however, she was not in the least bit disturbed. On the other side of the room sat what had to be the King, with tricolor, spiky hair, and a golden puzzle around his neck. At his feet, collared and chained to the leg of the throne, sat a young boy with blonde hair that Isis instantly recognized. She just hoped Shizuka wouldn't.

"Who's the Summoner?" the King asked once his own two had situated themselves at the table. He was a bit younger than she had expected but stranger things had been happening lately. 

"Lady Isis and her companion, Shizuka." Isis noticed the boy had quickly looked up at the name before lowering his eyes once more. Her suspicions had been confirmed. "They wish to speak to you," Mai completed, looking between the strangers and the King.

"I'll deal with them later," she said, leaning back in his seat. "You four might as well start arguing now. I'll just sit up here and play god." He was amazed at how quickly the four of them launched into their argument from the previous day. He sighed, looking at the two standing inconspicuously in the corner and wondering exactly what they wanted to speak to him about. Shaking his head, he turned his attention back to his advisors, trying his best to follow their conversation. However, he wasn't too fond of arguments so he quickly tuned them out. Gently, he placed his hand on the back of Jounouchi's neck, just above the collar. "Who's the girl?" he asked quietly. 

"My sister," Jounouchi responded, barely lifting his eyes to meet the King's.

Yuugi began to gently massage the back of the slave's neck, pondering this turn of events with a slightly puzzled expression. He knew that if he asked the boy, he would have to answer, and he really wanted to know so… "Why won't you look at her? You haven't seen her in many years and you are free to look upon the commoners that enter my court."

"It's complicated, sir," he said, resuming staring at the ground. He purred in contentment as the King continued to massage his neck, easing the tension from the heavy metal collar.

The spirit sent him a message and Yuugi grinned, leaning closer to Jounouchi. "Don't worry. You can tell me all about it later tonight. We can make that our pillow talk." Astounding how every single last one of them stopped talking to stare in his direction. "Well, now that I have your attention. Lady Isis, what do you think of all this?" he said, turning his full attention to the new woman.

"I believe your commanders are like any leader after many years of war and have become overly optimistic." The two in question gave her disgruntled stares. "As for you Summoners, I believe they are afraid of misguiding you to the point where they might lose their positions."

The spirit voiced his agreement and Yuugi nodded slowly, a small smile gracing his features. "Thank you for your outsider's assessment." He turned his attention back to his four advisors. "You heard the lady, and, quite frankly, I agree with her. Now, if you four will excuse me." He unhooked the chain from his throne, giving it a slight yank as he stood up. The slave obediently got to his feet, keeping his head lowered. "I have other things to attend to. Make sure you give Lady Isis a room. I'll talk to her tomorrow." Not all in the room noticed the King's voice had gotten much deeper over the past few moments. Only three had caught the change, and those three said nothing of it, each with their own problems to worry about. 

Yuugi exited the throne room, Jounouchi only a few short feet behind him. He sometimes worried when the spirit sporadically took control of his body that way; he never knew what he was going to do. Well, nothing terrible had come out of their last arrangement. He sighed as the pair made their way into his chambers. Yuugi unhooked the chain from Jounouchi's collar, making his way into his bathing chambers, the slave following him like he had been trained to do. "I need a good, long soak," he stated, turning the hot water on in the in-ground tub. Jounouchi politely averted his eyes as the King began to divest himself of his clothing.

He slowly lowered himself into the steaming water, leaning back and relaxing. "Come here," he said to Jounouchi, patting the floor behind him. The boy carefully made his way over, sitting down behind the king. "Now remind me why I say you have such good hands and tell me about your sister," Yuugi continued, closing his eyes. Jounouchi lifted his hands to the King's shoulders, kneading the flesh gently. Yuugi sighed, leaning back against the slave's knees. "I'm waiting," he prompted when the boy remain silent for several moments.

Yuugi heard him taking a deep breath, possibly preparing himself to speak. "When we were young, my sister and I made a promise that if we were ever taken into the service of the King, we would return as soon as our term was over."

Yuugi thought he knew the rest of the story. Jounouchi's term ended three years ago and he was still at the palace instead of being home with his sister. Four years ago, Yuugi had lost his personal slave to an accident and had gone to the slave barracks looking for a replacement. Jounouchi had caught his eye and he immediately had chosen him, taking him away and back to his rooms. Only later did they begin to realize who Jounouchi really was. When Jounouchi's term had ended, Yuugi gave him the choice of whether he wanted to stay or go. Jounouchi had chosen to stay and Yuugi had never given a second thought to the matter. He never knew Jounouchi had any family. He reached behind him, hand going up to lightly finger the collar around Jounouchi's neck. "You would choose to wear this instead of being with your sister?" Jounouchi remained silent, and Yuugi's hand traveled to the back of the collar. He searched around for the latch he knew was there, unhooking the collar and pulling it from Jounouchi's neck. "Ask were Lady Ishtar's room is and go home with your sister."

Jounouchi threw himself on the floor, pressing his forehead to the cold stone floor. "My King, please don't do this to me," he pleaded, tears forming in his eyes. "I can do better," he insisted.

Yuugi felt a small twinge of pity for him but he quickly pushed the feeling aside. He turned to look at Jounouchi, his eyes hardened as they fell on the slave. "I'm getting tired of you. Get out of her." Jounouchi backed up a bit, still groveling, but he did not seem to be planning on leaving anytime soon. For a moment, Yuugi thought about telling him to forget about it, but that would not be a wise idea, not if there were spies about. "Get out of here," he ordered firmly," before I have you executed for trespassing in the King's chambers."

Jounouchi looked up in fright, standing up. Yuugi kept his steel gaze fixed on Jounouchi. The slave saw he was serious and backed slowly out of the room, keeping his eyes on the King. Yuugi watched him until he was out of the room, never once softening his gaze. Once the boy was gone, however, he quickly turned away, burying his face in his hands with a small sob.   

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Never in all her life had Shizuka imagined a room so beautiful and that was ignoring the furniture provided for the Summoner. Her attention was riveted on her own little corner, a vast improvement over her old room. She had her own bed, with what she thought to be a real feather mattress, feather down pillows, and fur blankets. She turned to Isis, watching as the Summoner removed her traveling cloak, laying it on the foot of her bed. "Don't you think this is a little much for me?" she asked, indicating the bed.

Isis looked once in the mirror, deciding she would have to get a few things before King Kaiba arrived in the morning. Well, she was in the city so getting things should not prove to be a problem. Perhaps she would get a few items for Shizuka as well. "The chest at the foot of the bed is yours as well." The girl excitedly went over to it, hands running over the mahogany. "They probably think you're a guest of min," she informed the girl, sitting down on her own bed. "If I were you I wouldn't do anything to make them think otherwise."

Shizuka nodded solemnly, delicately sinking onto her bed. Perhaps she would delay a bit in finding her brother; a few more days weren't going to hurt him. Besides, the Summoner had been very kind to her so fat, so much unlike everything she had expected. She heard a timid tapping sound, causing her to look curiously over at the Summoner. The woman smiled at her, her eyes flashing darkly. "Come in," she began, casting a glance at the door before returning her gaze to Shizuka, "Katsuya."

Shizuka's breath caught in her throat as she cast a hopeful look in Isis' direction. She heard the door sliding across the stone floor, not daring to look yet. What if the Summoner was wrong? Gradually, she lifted her eyes in their visitor's direction. He was a bit taller than she remembered obviously, his hair had gotten longer, but his honey eyes were still the same as she remembered. "Katsuya!" she cried, leaping towards him and throwing his arms around his neck. After a moment, she felt him wrapping his arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. She pulled back from him, keeping her hands on his shoulders as she studied him. He was well-muscled, had a sweet face, beautiful eyes, gorgeous hair, he was actually clean…. Well, for slave standards anyway. She deduced he must have been taken well care of while he was there. "I missed you," she said, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, so happy she was to see him.

"Shizuka," he said, a sob issuing from his throat.

For the first time she noticed the tears in his eyes, the streaks they had left running down his face and the sad, faraway look in his eye. "Big brother, what's wrong?" she asked, wondering what he could possibly be upset about when he had finally been reunited with his beloved sister.

She didn't hear Isis coming up behind her; in fact, she had quite forgotten the Summoner was there. She placed a hand under the boy's arm, leading him to her bed. "Sit down," she ordered, placing a hand on his shoulder, pushing him to the bed. She looked between the two, focusing her gaze on Shizuka. "You two have a lot of catching up to do." Her gaze shifted back to Jounouchi as she sat down next to him. "But first, you're going to tell me what happened."

"He threw me out," Jounouchi said apathetically, staring blankly ahead. He swallowed hard, preparing himself to speak. "He said he didn't want me anymore and he ordered me out of his room."

"Who?" Shizuka asked, sitting down on her brother's other side. He shook his head, burying his face in his hands. Shizuka wished he would talk to her. He had grown up while he was away and she was anxious to learn what he was like now.

"King Yuugi," Isis answered for him, placing her hand lightly on the boy's back. On the other side of him, Shizuka as left not knowing what to say.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

/I can't believe you did something like that!/ Yuugi cringed, burying his face in his arm. He was lying on his side, facing away from the door, tears rolling down his face to land softly on his pillow. /Why would you just let him go like that? / He was already feeling terrible about the situation as it was, and the ancient spirit had to go and make him feel worse, if that was even possible. /Whatever were you thinking? /

\He deserves to be happy\ Yuugi protested, closing his eyes. \And being with his sister will make him happier than being a slave here will. He'll realize that eventually\ he added softly, remembering the pained look in Jounouchi's eyes when he had ordered him away by removing the collar.

/He's our only hope/ the spirit countered. Now they were back to the same point they had been arguing about for the past four years. /If someone else finds him, they'll kill him! /

\You don't know that\ Yuugi protested, burying his face in his pillow. The problem was, they both knew the spirit's statement was true.

/You can't protect him out there/ the spirit reminded him in a much gentler tone than the one he had been using since he had discovered what Yuugi had done.

\Just leave me alone\ Yuugi insisted sullenly, trying to burrow deeper into the pillow. Much to his amazement, the spirit obliged to his wished, retreating back into the puzzle. Yuugi sighed heavily, wondering what he was going to do now that he no longer had Jounouchi around him. Too late, he realized someone was behind him and before he could do anything, the man had wrapped his arms tightly around the King. He contemplated blasting the person to tiny bit, but, by the scent, he quickly figured out who it was. Jounouchi was pressed against his back, face buried in his neck, arms wrapped in a death grip around him. "I thought I told you to get out," he said, allowing himself a small smile. By the movement against the back of his neck, he could tell Jounouchi had nodded. "Are you disobeying a direct order from your King?"

"Yes," Jounouchi breathed softly. His lips were so close to him that they gently brushed Yuugi's skin as he spoke. He once again buried his face in Yuugi's neck; Yuugi could feel Jounouchi's still wet tears on his neck.

He swallowed, blinking once as a few more tears rolled down his face. "Then stay with me," he said softly, placing his hand over Jounouchi's.

~Okay people, remember to please review and tell me what you think. 


End file.
